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 Sunset over Cornville, Arizona |
Economics Yavapai County’s principal economic industries are ranching, manufacturing & mining. The Verde Valley also attracts 4,000,000 tourists every year & it is one of the leading industries in the area. Construction & housing related industries are a close second, benefiting from tourism as many visitors decide to take up residency in the area. Transportation The Verde Valley & Yavapai County are served by I-17 & I-40, a major transportation route between California & Midwest & Eastern destinations. HWY 89, the major link between Cottonwood & Sedona recently became a 4 lane highway between the two cities. HWY260, which links Cottonwood with I-17 & the City of Camp Verde is scheduled for widening to 4 lanes. Property Taxes Approximately 1% of the purchase price of a property (a sale generally triggers an evaluation by the assessors office, so past years taxes on a property are not indicative of what you will pay as the new owner). Quality of Life Verde Valley towns are growing, yet retain a rural feel. The most common call into area police stations is “Dog At Large.” We have clean, smog-free air and lots of open space, yet we are only 90 mins. away from the 9th largest city in America. Growth All Verde Valley communities experienced considerable growth in the past decade. Many Verde Valley communities have been experiencing what the Wall Street Journal called, "The Gentrification of Rural America," an influx of professional individuals who seek to escape the rigors of city of life. These newcomers have been adding and enhancing the rich diversity of cultures that already exist in Verde Valley, blending rustic southwestern charm, with modern elegance and conveniences. |
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Your One Stop Shop for Northern Arizona and Verde Valley Real Estate Information!
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Welcome to Sedona and the Verde Valley!
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Superb Arizona Location... The Verde Valley lies within the heart of Arizona, with convenient access to Phoenix & Northern Arizona cities. Nestled between the Mogollon Rim, the Mingus Mountain range & the red rock cliffs of Sedona, the elevation of 3100-4500 ft. tempers the harsh summer heat of the deserts & wintry weather of the rim country. The Verde Valley is home to Arizona’s most spectacular scenery, history & riparian habitat along the perennial Verde River & Oak Creek. Over 150 miles of rivers & streams criss-cross the Verde Valley providing excellent wildlife habitat & recreational opportunities. Whether you are looking for Sedona real estate, or real estate for sale in Cottonwood, you are sure to find a wide variety of real estate offerings that can fit any budget. |
Climate of Sedona and The Verde Valley Average High/LowTemperature & Precipitation | | | | Month | Average High | Average Low | Precipitation | | | | | | | January | 60 F Degrees | 25 F Degrees | 1.0 Inches | | February | 65 F Degrees | 29 F Degrees | 1.2 Inches | | March | 70 F Degrees | 33 F Degrees | 1.3 Inches | | April | 78 F Degrees | 39 F Degrees | 0.7 Inches | | May | 88 F Degrees | 46 F Degrees | 0.3 Inches | | June | 98 F Degrees | 53 F Degrees | 0.3 Inches | | July | 101 F Degrees | 63 F Degrees | 1.6 Inches | | August | 98 F Degrees | 62 F Degrees | 2.0 Inches | | September | 92 F Degrees | 54 F Degrees | 1.6 Inches | | October | 82 F Degrees | 43 F Degrees | 1.1 Inches | | November | 69 F Degrees | 32 F Degrees | 1.1 Inches | | December | 59 F Degrees | 26 F Degrees | 1.2 Inches |
The mountain ranges which form the Verde Valley are mineral rich and soar to elevations of 7000-8000 feet, even up to 14,000 feet at the San Francisco Peaks outside of Flagstaff. Cottonwood, which lies on the valley floor, typically receives a dusting or two of snow each year, while neighboring Sedona and Jerome will receive a foot or more of snow from the same storm. The peaks receive about 100 inches per year. In Arizona, you can go skiing in the morning and sunbathing by the pool in the afternoon….all in the same day! In the winter, Verde Valley residents can do either, any given day! |
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All Verde Valley communities have a distinct, unique flavor. To get a “feel" for life in these communities, click on area name for additional information. Camp Verde The first community to be settled in the Verde Valley, Camp Verde began as Fort Verde, founded in 1865 to protect settlers from raiding Apaches. Home to some of the Verde Valley’s greatest swimming holes. Average elevation is 3100 feet above sea level. Clarkdale Clarkdale began as mining camp and smelter town. Ore hauled from mines in Jerome went to Clarkdale for processing and many of the employees of the mine resided there. Lower Clarkdale housed the miners, while upper Clarkdale was reserved for those higher up in the corporation. Average elevation is @ 3300 ft. Cottonwood Began as a farming community in 1879, providing the miners in Jerome and Clarkdale with fresh produce and meat. Cottonwood today serves as the commercial center of the Verde Valley and has convenient access to all Verde Valley towns. Average elevation is 3300 ft. Cornville/Page Springs Both are situated between Sedona and Cottonwood & began as a collection of farms and ranches. Average elevation is 3000 ft. Jerome Once known as the wickedest town in the west, Jerome was once home to the Copper Queen Mine, one of the largest producing copper mines ever. Now a thriving Artist’s community, Jerome has proven itself able to stand the test of time. Elevation is 5000 ft. and the population is around 352, give or take one or two….. Lake Montezuma/Rimrock/McGuireville Lake Montezuma is named after Montezuma’s Castle & Montezuma’s Well and is home to many retirees who enjoy the Verde Valley’s mild four season climate. These areas are unincorporated. Wet Beaver Creek winds through these communities. Sedona Internationally known for its exquisite scenery and mystical aura, Sedona is sure to please any resident or visitor. Sure...the shopping is incredible...but be sure to grab the four wheel drive and find a lonely dirt road.... The Village of Oak Creek Home to most of Sedona's golf courses, this hamlet of Sedona is quickly becoming a resort destination of its own, with the recent construction of the Hilton Resort. |
Geology of Sedona and The Verde Valley The surrounding mountains near Sedona AZ are a rock-hound’s dream, as they are filled with fossils, minerals and various crystal formations. Some small gold mining operations are still in existence on the Mingus mountain range and a few old miners still pan for gold in the hills and streams. The hills in and around Jerome are a literal catacomb of old mine shafts and weathering bones of mine structures and machinery. While copper was the main pursuit of the mining operations in Jerome, a large amount of gold was recovered as well. A recent spike of prices in precious metals, has renewed interest in the mines in and around the Verde Valley. Several small scale operations have reopened in the area and the old slag piles in Cottonwood and Clarkdale are to be reprocessed, as technology has advanced to allow better refinement of these materials. It is estimates that the slag pile in Clarkdale still contains over 20,000 ounces of Gold, that was unable to be removed from these materials with older methods. Northern Arizona was once an incredibly active volcanic area. In fact, Sunset Crater outside of Flagstaff is estimated to be ONLY around 1000 yrs old. The mineral deposits in Jerome are thought to be formed by a large sea floor caldera that collapsed in onto itself. The same fault lines that formed the Verde Valley, were also responsible for the chalky white rocks found throughout the Verde Valley. The dropping valley floor damned the ancestral Verde River, flooding the entire Verde Valley with an ancient lake. It is thought that the Sedona airport is located on the lake bottom. The red rock formations of Sedona are mostly ancient sand dunes, hardened into rock over eons of time and tremendous pressure of overlaying rock layers. These sand dunes are unique to the Verde Valley and are found nowhere else in Arizona. The red color in the rocks is due to a high concentration of iron. You may hear of “vortexes” in the Sedona area. Whether or not there is a mystical power attached to this phenomenon remains debatable, but there is geologic evidence to support their existence. The amount of iron in the rocks actually causes earths magnetic field to bend inwards from its normal trajectory over the earth. Another place this occurs is Ayers Rock in Australia. Wind, water and eons of time have created an incredibly gorgeous landscape for owners of Verde Valley & Sedona Real Estate! |
Culture of Sedona and The Verde Valley The stately beauty of Sedona and the Verde Valley has transformed a small collection of rural, almost forgotten, country towns into thriving, forward thinking communities that retain a great respect and appreciation for their respective histories. While the Verde Valley is still a place any cowboy, prospector, rancher or farmer can comfortably call home, it is also a place which attracts artists, musicians, actors and great thinkers from all over the world….as well as a few crackpots! Annual Cultural events include: Sedona International Film Festival, Jazz on the Rocks, Chamber Music in Sedona, Shakespeare Sedona, and the Sedona Arts Festival. The Verde Valley truly has something for everyone! Nat. Forests/State/BLM Lands The National Forests of Arizona are rife with dirt and four wheel drive roads and hiking trails. In fact, about 85% of the land in Yavapai County is publicly owned. Very little of the land is available for real estate development. In other words, it is very unlikely that Sedona and the Verde Valley will ever resemble the Phoenix area– there is simply to much land in the area that is closed to public development. Camping is allowed anywhere in the national forests so long as you are either a quarter mile inside the forest boundary, or in a designated camping area, or, not in a day use area . Here, it is truly possible to get away from it all! Outdoor Activities Since the Verde Valley is mostly National Forest and State Lands, outdoor activities are plentiful. Residents enjoy year round golf, hiking, 4-wheeling, biking, fishing, canoeing, kayaking, hunting, rock climbing, horseback riding and hang-gliding within the Verde Valley. Cross-country and downhill skiing can be enjoyed at Arizona Snowbowl, 65 miles from the heart of the Verde Valley. Summer is a fantastic time to travel down to one of the numerous swimming / fishing holes & take the edge off a hot summer day. Wildlife American Eagles are frequent residents in the winter months, while American Elk, Great Blue Heron, Black Bear, Red Fox, Coyotes, Antelope, Javelina, Bob Cats, Mountain Lions and Deer chose to live here year round. |
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Surly monsoon skies over the Verde River. This photo was taken just a few miles outside of Cottonwood. |
Average Daily Temperature Range for the Verde Valley
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Winter 28º-63º Spring 35º-85º Fall 36º-91º Summer 57º-98º |
Mileage to Surrounding Cities:
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Phoenix 95 miles Flagstaff 55 miles Prescott 40 miles |
The Verde Valley lies in Yavapai County, which is roughly equivalent in size to Massachusetts. Only15% of the 8,125 square miles of county and is privately owned. The remaining 85% is either USFS, BLM and state lands or reservation lands. Between 1990 and 2004 Yavapai County population increased by 65% and now has over 175, 000 residents. The population of the Verde Valley is about 70,000, according to 2002 estimates. Growth in Arizona is approximately 100,000 new residents per year. That number is expected to remain steady for several years and the majority are expected to move to the Phoenix area, in neighboring Maricopa County. |
2002 Verde Valley Population Estimates
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Camp Verde | 10,686 | | Clarkdale | 4,607 | | Cornville | 3,870 | | Cottonwood | 21,247 | | Jerome | 352 | | Middle Verde | 795 | | Oak Creek Canyon | 353 | | Rimrock | 3,319 | | Sedona | 13,847 | | Village of Oak Creek | 5848 | | Other Residents | 4676 | | Total Population | 69,600 |
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Population by Age-2002 Estimates
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0-4 4.9% 5-13 10.0% 14-17 5.2% 18-24 5.8% 25-34 8.7% 35-44 13.2% 45-54 15.6% 65-74 12.2% 75-84 8.6% 85+ 2.4% |
Fall Foliage along the Mingus Avenue “extension” in the City of Cottonwood. This road quickly turns to dirt and gets rougher as you climb in elevation. A four wheel drive or ATV is required. Several small and private mining claims exist in this area, be respectful of no trespassing signs if you go. |
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